Halloween Safety

Halloween is a fun time of the year for kids, but can be a bit scary. Making sure your little monsters are safe is very important. 

Halloween is a fun, spooky and exciting time for kids and adults as they scour for that perfect costume and people add spooky decorations to their homes. If you don’t keep fire safety in mind, Halloween and fall decoration can add an increased fire danger to your home that could create a real scary situation.  

According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), each year from 2017 to 2019, an estimated average of 9,200 fires were reported to fire departments in the United States over a 3-day period around Halloween. These fires caused an estimated annual average of 25 deaths, 100 injuries, and $117 million in property loss. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that decorations were the first thing to ignite in roughly 800 reported home fires each year. More than two of every five of these fires occurred because the decorations were too close to a heat source, such as a candle or hot equipment.

When choosing costumes make sure to stay away from long trailing fabric. Always check to make sure the fabric is flame resistant.  If your child is wearing a mask, check that eye holes are large enough to provide an unrestricted view! When trick or treating, have your children carry a flashlight to not only light their way, but to keep them visible as well and think about incorporating glow stick on their costumes to increase visibility. 

Here are a few tips when decorating to keep in mind.

• Use battery powered candles if possible. If you are using a real candle inside a jack-o-lantern, make sure to use long, fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter.
• Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough out of the way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
• Keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
• Always check smoke alarms to make sure they are working.
• Keep and tell children to stay away from open flames including jack-0-lanterns with candles in them.
• Dried cornstalks, dried flowers and paper decorations catch fire easily, make sure to keep any open flames and heat sources, such has light bulbs, at a safe distance.